Location

Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Columbia/ Enterprise Rooms

Start Date

24-4-1991 2:00 PM

End Date

24-4-1991 5:00 PM

Description

The benefits of evolving the current Space Shuttle into a system that can meet our country's manned space transportation needs for the next 30 years are numerous. To address Shuttle evolution, NASA has initiated several programs over the past 2 years, including Assured Shuttle Availability (ASA), "Technology Bridging," and the Shuttle Evolution System Assessment (SESA) study. ASA is a planned upgrade program that focuses on near-term supportability and operational cost reduction issues. The "Technology Bridging" program, led by NASA's Offices of Space Flight and Exploration and Technology, identifies key technologies for movement from the laboratory to "field" demonstrations on the Shuttle and future NASA programs. In contrast to these somewhat gradual changes, significant quantum changes leading to a "Block n" upgrade of the current Shuttle system are being explored under SESA.

This paper presents a systematic approach to upgrading the current Space Shuttle to a Block II system while building on and making use of more near-term upgrade plans such as ASA and Technology Bridging. Several options to block changes—based on requirements for increased reliability, improved robustness, lower operating costs, and overall enhanced capability—are discussed. Implications to flight and ground operations, and to the entire space transportation architecture, are also presented.

Downloads

Since August 31, 2014

Share

COinS

Apr 24th, 2:00 PMApr 24th, 5:00 PM

Paper Session II-B - An Approach to Shuttle Evolution

Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Columbia/ Enterprise Rooms

The benefits of evolving the current Space Shuttle into a system that can meet our country's manned space transportation needs for the next 30 years are numerous. To address Shuttle evolution, NASA has initiated several programs over the past 2 years, including Assured Shuttle Availability (ASA), "Technology Bridging," and the Shuttle Evolution System Assessment (SESA) study. ASA is a planned upgrade program that focuses on near-term supportability and operational cost reduction issues. The "Technology Bridging" program, led by NASA's Offices of Space Flight and Exploration and Technology, identifies key technologies for movement from the laboratory to "field" demonstrations on the Shuttle and future NASA programs. In contrast to these somewhat gradual changes, significant quantum changes leading to a "Block n" upgrade of the current Shuttle system are being explored under SESA.

This paper presents a systematic approach to upgrading the current Space Shuttle to a Block II system while building on and making use of more near-term upgrade plans such as ASA and Technology Bridging. Several options to block changes—based on requirements for increased reliability, improved robustness, lower operating costs, and overall enhanced capability—are discussed. Implications to flight and ground operations, and to the entire space transportation architecture, are also presented.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.